Traveling for the first time to Australia March of 2017,looking forward to great food,aboriginal art,ocean and bushwalking.Should we go with guided group or on our own?So many tour groups and packages available,but don't want to be rushed,wondering wich way is cheaper as well.Any suggestions would be appreciated.Not interested in malls or zoos,want to see the real Australia!

2 Answers

Hi Barbara! Firstly I hope you and your granddaughters have an amazing time in Oz! Australia is really big so I'll answer Sydney first!

If you're travelling to Sydney and want to see the "real" Sydney then awesome places include:- Circular QuayYou can take a train to circular quay from pretty much all over Sydney. Once you get off you'll see the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour bridge. You can do amazing walks around the harbour and check out history at The Rocks.If you're travelling around Sydney by train/bus/ferry, I would recommend purchasing an opal card when you get here. www.opal.com.au The opal card allows you to travel everywhere quickly and easily and you can add as much or as little credit as you need. Downloading the TripView app will also allow you to see train/bus/ferry schedules and associated costs :)

If you're coming to Sydney in March, we have the Mardi Gras, which is Australia's biggest gay and lesbian celebration and is so much crazy fun even for straight people! It really is an awesome spectacle!

Also, opera Australia do their Handa Opera on the water in March, you can buy tickets through the Sydney Opera House, it's SPECTACULAR! with an amazing view of Sydney harbour while you watch!

A train ride to Sydney Olympic Park allows you to see the site of the 2000 Olympic games, there are heaps of things to do there including watching an NRL game (like Union but better ;)

Also, if you love wine, the Hunter Valley is pretty touristy, but also really great. You can book a day tour that can pick you up from the city and you can wine taste all day! I've done quite a few with my husband. It takes about 2 hours to get to the Hunter Valley from Sydney City.

Try and do a ""bondi to bronte" walk, its beautiful, head to Blue Mountains and do a scenic tour, so majestic.